> Dear Mr. S.K. Anand,
>
> I recently saw a remark from you in one of the postings in an Internet
> newsgroup which goes as follows…
>
> “We who have been developing such fonts (AKRUTI) well over two decades would
> not like a repeat of the experience, we had when our fonts were pirated off
> the Web and used without acknowledgement, first by an individual who went on
> to release a free software…”
>
> I thought you may be referring to Baraha software in the above remark, and
> hence is this email.
>
> When I started developing a Kannada software, I had no knowledge of fonts at
> all. I experimented a lot with various Kannada fonts available in the
> Internet, including Akruti. This research helped me to understand the
> technology behind the Kannada fonts and I learnt a lot from these software.
> Initially, I wanted Baraha compatible with other Kannada fonts. But due to
> various limitations of such fonts, I had to come up with my own encoding.

I honestly admit that I have used the glyphs from one of the Akruti fonts in Baraha 1.0, and I was not very serious to mention about it.

When I released Baraha 1.0, I didn’t know it will become popular and used by many people. It was only an experiment which I wanted to share with my family and friends.

> But later, when Baraha became popular, for copyright reasons, I had to add
> my own fonts for Kannada and other languages. I have created many new font
> styles, which don’t exist in any other Kannada software. My intention was to
> provide the facility for basic documentation needs of Kannada. It was not my
> intention to copy or re-create various Kannada font styles that are
> available in other packages. Instead I have focussed more on portability of
> Kannada text from Baraha to other software such as Akruti, ShreeLipi, e.t.c.
>
> Through this mail I would like to express my grattitude to various other
> Kannada software for helping me to acquire the knowledge.

My acknowldgements to Akruti software for providing the glyphs which were used in the intial releases of Baraha.

The above email from VASU of BARAHA shows the ADMISSION and ACKNOWLEDGEMENT and GUILT.

” I honestly admit that I have used the glyphs from one of the Akruti fonts in Baraha 1.0, and I was not very serious to mention about it.” Sheshadri Vasu.

AKRUTI fonts developed by Mr. S. K. Anand.

MR. S. K Anand is also making a CHARGE on KGP and it’s Executives for using his AKRUTI FONTS to develop KALITHA/NUDI Kannada Software and selling it GoK.
_________Mr. S. K. Anand’s email to V.M.Kumaraswamy
—————–
Forwarded Message:
Subj: Fw: From Sheshadrivasu Chandrasekharan
Date: 6/28/2004 11:01:59 AM Pacific Daylight Time
From: anand@cyberscapeindia.com
To: novamed@aol.com
Sent from the Internet (Details)

Shri Kumarswamy,

Namaskaara,

I think largely due to your relentless efforts to ferret out the truth behind the sad state of affairs in the area of Kannada software and the domination of false icons of the so called free software like KGP Nudi and Sheshadrivasu’s Baraha, a lot of bitter truth and hidden information is coming out from various quarters, which is exposing the nasty skullduggery by which these false icons have sucked on the blood of the real workers in the Kannada software arena who have never claimed that they and they alone have done a great service to Kannada, but have been contributing silently in the background.

I am forwarding here, an admission by one such icon, the Guru of free Kannada software, who, perhaps due to the fear of getting exposed by these revelations, very belatedly realised the need for acknowledging the unabashed piracy. More than six years after his misdeed, he meekly apologises for having pirated our “Akruti” fonts. This is a charge we have also made on KGP. How many more years, do we have to wait for them to come clean?

Anyway, I hope you keep churning the murky waters of the Kannada software world for more such nuggets. I sincerely hope at the end of this great “Samudra Manthan”, finally some true gems emerge and adorn our beloved “Kannada Maate” who must be hanging her head in eternal shame at the present state of affairs. All the behind the scene workers like us should be thankful for your fearless crusade against all the wrong doers.

Hoping for a positive outcome for the sake of Kannada,

Anand S.K.
Managing Director
Cyberscape Multimedia Ltd.

_______________________________

ANALYSIS:

WITHOUT BARAHA 1.0 – that is from STEALING

IPR and GLYPHS of AKRUTHI Fonts – VASU could not have done all further BARAHA releases.

BARAHA Vasu’s interview to Deccan Herald in 2004

Vasu gave an interview to Deccan Herald during his visit to Bangalore in June 2004. Here are some excerpts and my comments on them:-

> “Then, I, along with Ganaka Parishad and the State Government worked to bring Kannada software for official use”, he (Vasu) said.

I don’t remember any of such efforts by Sheshadri Vasu. In fact Vasu was very reluctant to implement the GoK standard for font and keyboard. There was a heated argument between Dr Panditharadhya and K T Chandrashekharan, father of Vasu, in this connection. All along the time Shasthry, Narasimha Murthy and Panditharadhya were advocating that Baraha killed Kannada while Nudi saved it! Vasu did implement the keyboard and font standards after repeated appeals by Shrinatha Shasthry and Narasimha Murthy.

> Baraha 4.0 was the first software that was implemented in Government offices with font styles.

I don’t think this statement of Sheshadri Vasu is true.There were many Kannada software being used in state govt much much before KGP, Nudi or Baraha came into existence .

> But the Ganaka Parishad and the State Government have introduced Nudi software as a benchmark system.

If Vasu were to introduce the GoK standards much earlier than the release of Kalitha (Nudi), Nudi would not have come into existence.

VASU said: > Unfortunately for me, the government is insisting the use of Nudi software.

Why should be unfortunate to him? He is not selling Baraha.

> While Baraha has fulfilled the terms and conditions put forth by the Government, including stipulations such as keyboard and transliteration, I wonder why they are forcing departments to use only Nudi”, he said. One of Baraha’s many advantages, according to Vasu, is that it allows a person who knows Kannada to type it in English fonts. He felt preference of software (Baraha or Nudi) should be left to end user.

Why the choice should be only between Nudi and Baraha , both of them are obsolete in the current and future time where Unicode is the world standard?

Actually the choice should be between Windows XP/2003, Mac, Linux, Solaris, Java Desktop, Unix, etc. all are having Unicode compliance.

Meeting with Vasu in June 2004

Vasu was felicitated by Upasana in Bangalore during his visit in June 2004. I met him during that function. I discussed many things in general like Unicode features, facility needed in Baraha to convert RTF and HTML documents into Unicode, etc. Casually I asked him where from he is getting the fonts for his Baraha package. As per his answer, there is an artist in Bangalore who draws the shapes on paper and sends them to him. He (Vasu) scans, digitizes and makes them into fonts. I did not discuss anything about the Akruti font issue.

_______________________________________________

PLEASE READ THESE KANNADIGAS will know what VASU saying to DECCAN HERALD in 2004 is FALSE.

SHABDRATNA, the first Kannada Word processing Software was
launched by the then Director of Karnataka Govt. Computer
Center during January 1987. This was used extensively by
almost all Offices & Depts of the Govt. of Karnataka. SRG Systems Letter to V. M. Kumaraswamy in 2004.

SRG Systems Pvt. Ltd. (Software Research Group) is one of the
leading research and development oriented software company inIndia. SRG was started in 1984 by T. S. Muthu krishnan who is a
B.Tech from IIT Madras. He has more than 35 years of experience.

S R G was the first Indian company to produce and export packaged
software to European countries like West Germany, Holland,Belgium , East Asian countries like Singapore, Malaysia & Taiwan
and Middle East countries.

S R G, a professionally managed company, was the first to develop
packages in Indian Languages namely Kannada, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu,
Malayalam, Marathi, Gujrati & Bengali using Indigenous Knowhow
based on extensive experience in the field of Software
development.

SRG has developed several application Software Products and
Packaged Software Packages.

First developed a Word processing Software on Apple System
in USA for a Client in 1983-84.

During 1984-85 SRG had been developing application Software
for various Customers.

Subsequently developed WORDLORD on IBM PC which was later
Exported to Europe in 1985-86 and Far Eastern Countries in
1987.

SHABDRATNA, the first Kannada Word processing Software was
launched by the then Director of Karnataka Govt. Computer
Center during January 1987. This was used extensively by
almost all Offices & Depts of the Govt. of Karnataka.

Kannada DTP Software VENUS Publisher was launched in 1989.
This was used extensively by several Publishers of Kannada
books including NAL Mr. Srinatha Sastry. Govt. of Karnataka
is still using our DTP S/W for Budget presentation.

CHITRAKALA was specially developed for Door Dharshan Kendra,Bangalore for Kannada Titling and graphics during 1990.

Several other Language Softwares were also released.

During 1993 developed DATA BASE Software Package INEX which
is a Kannada-English Business Software using which various
applications like Financial Accounting, Inventory, Payroll,
MRP, PPC etc. were released. INEX was launched by the then
Minister for Higher Education, Govt. of Karnataka.

During 1994 developed WINKEY Kannada interface for
Windows applications. This was also used extensively by most
of the Offices & Depts of the Govt. of Karnataka.

We had struggled hard to promote Kannada usage in Computers for
more than a decade without any assistance from Govt. of Karnataka
or any other body and even ignoring the more lucrative Commercial
Software development.

In fact we had spent more money for Research & development,
Training and Support for Kannada than we had earned. It was other
Language Softwares particularly Hindi & Tamil which helped us to
make some profit.

We had even provided our Kannada Software free of cost to several
Individuals including Mr. Srinatha Sastry for personal use and
thereby encouraged Kannada usage in Computers.

It is only after Kannada usage in Computers had fully spread as a
result of our promotion, suddenly some individuals found that they
can use the slogan “Kannada promotion” as a ploy to syphon out
Govt. funds which can be shared among them. They had even used
some good persons like Dr. Pavanaja for achieving their goal.

As we were already promoting Kannada without any Govt. funds and
also these individuals had no Technical or Linguistic expertise,
they had decided to use the “Back-door approach”.

First these vested interests formed a group with a catchy name
“Kannada Ganaka Parished” and entered themselves in the books of
Karnataka Govt. claiming to promote Kannada thru’ Computers.

They had implanted the idea of “Kannada Standards” in the minds of
un-suspecting Govt. Officials. They influenced the formation of
Standards committee without including the real users like Typists
or the Kannada Software Developers.

They had wasted Govt. money and time by establishing two
“Redundant Standards” for “Keyboard” which is harmful to
KANNADIGAS, as well as “Mono Lingual font” which is totally
useless as NUDI itself is using Bi-lingual font.

Thousands of POOR UNEMPLOYED KANNADIGAS spend what little money
they have on Kannada typing diploma courses and pass typing exams
using manual typewriter where the speed & accuracy are important.
By adopting a keyboard other than typewriter keyboard would defeat
the very purpose and completely destroy their future.

One can not Promote Kannada at the expense of POOR KANNADIGAS.
It is for this reason we had adopted typewriter keyboard for the
qualified Typists and at the same time provided phonetic typing
for other users.

Further we had written to D.I.T. on 30-6-2000 that most of the
Customers use Bi-lingual fonts and demanded the Standards for
Bi-lingual font. This was totally ignored by them.

After the NUDI Software was rejected by almost all Govt. Staff,
they came out with their own “Non-Standard” Bi-lingual font
thereby making the “Font Standard” as Redundant by themselves.

This was the level of intelligence at KGP.

Then they had influenced the Govt. to appoint themselves (KGP) as
the “Certifying Agency” for these “Redundant Standards” and forced
the Govt. to part with more than Rs. 2 Lakhs for this purpose.

They had also used certain Corrupt Govt. Officials to sanction
funds to the tune of Rs.27.65 lakhs for the Kannada Software
Development, which even a well established S/W Company will find
it difficult to achieve.

No standard procedure like Tender or Multiple Quotations was
followed by D.I.T. The KGP is not a Govt. body either.

KGP without any infrastructure for Software development, not even
a proper office or a Computer, was awarded such a huge Software
Contract. This also shows the level of Corruption and the
Influence they had used.

In fact we have not earned so much money during the last 17 years
of Kannada Software development.

KGP had already Certified our Software earlier. After the
“Contract” was awarded, KGP had no Idea of “How to go about”.

Hence, the second certification “Drama” was enacted jointly by
Corrupt Officials of the D.I.T. and the vested interests in KGP
with the sole aim of pirating the Kannada Software Technology of
the Software Developers.

They had asked the un-suspecting Software Developers to
demonstrate and explain the Language Technology to the “KGP team”
which included the part-time programmer who had later “developed”
NUDI.

It is humanly impossible for a part-time programmer to do Research
& development and come out with an Original Software in such a
short time. The Truth is simple common sense, obvious and glaring.

Then the “Certifying” Agency themselves “Certified” their own
“developed” Software NUDI and “sold” it to D.I.T. at a huge cost.

Obviously the vested interests in KGP would not have spent more
than Rs. 15,000/= for the part-time programmer. But they had
managed to syphon out Lakhs of Rupees of Govt. funds which was
obviously shared by these vested interests with those Corrupt
Officials of the D.I.T.

The claim of “saving money for the Govt.” is a fraud. As there is
no support or service, which the Software Developers provide, the
NUDI Software will be dumped by the user and entire money “spent”
for NUDI will go down the drain. If the Govt. wants to provide the
support or service, the cost will be enormous and will run into
crores of Rupees.

If at all the D.I.T. Officials wanted to save money for the Govt.
they should have called for Tender or Competitive Quotations
instead of accepting the “fancy prices” quoted by KGP. Or atleast
they should have approached CDAC or NCST which are Govt. bodies.

The main aim of this Corruption and Nepotism is to destroy Kannada
Software development in Karnataka. Such a rampant Corruption and
Nepotism has never happened in any other State in India.

This has totally destroyed small and medium Software Developers.
This has also resulted in the retrenchment of staff thereby
creating unemployment.

Later the half baked NUDI Software did not find any taker as almost
all Govt.Staff had rejected it. After finding that the resistance is too
strong, they had used the Hon’ble Chief Minister himself as a
“tool” to push the NUDI Software and thrust it down the throats of
the resisting Govt. Staff.

If this is called “KANNADA PROMOTION”, then I feel sorry for
KANNADA.

In addition to the above I have come across more documentary
evidences to prove the SWINDLING OF PUBLIC FUNDS by KGP with help
of D.I.T. namely :

1. Letter from Registrar of Societies about KGP.

2. Audited Financial Statements of KGP.

3. “Donation Receipt” for Selling of Govt. Property by KGP.

From the Letter from Registrar of Societies it is obvious that the
KGP is a DEFUNCT SOCIETY and is not entitled to receive any funds
from the Govt. However the KGP has already received Rs. 12,36,040
from the Govt. as of 31-3-2002. Further, they are also Selling the
Govt. Property and earning Interest from Govt. funds.

D.I.T. had stated that “The ownership of the software vests with
the Department and KGP has no right over it”. However KGP has been
selling the software CDs and had already earned Rs. 18,800 as of
31-3-2002 and still continuing to do so. This selling is being
done in a clandestine manner by calling it a “Donation”.

It is also evident from the Financial Statements of KGP that a sum
of Rs. 6.14 Lakhs, which was in excess of actual expenditure, is
being held in Bank deposits. While the Govt. is facing paucity of
funds and borrowing at high Interest, a DEFUNCT SOCIETY is holding
excess funds from the Govt. and earning Interest on Govt. funds.

Further, the Section 3 of THE KARNATAKA TRANSPARENCY IN PUBLIC
PROCUREMENT ACT 1999 exempts only the projects funded by
International Financial Agencies, which obviously means that all
other Govt. funded projects including this “DEAL” are
automatically covered by the ACT.

D.I.T’s repeated claim that KGP is a “NON PROFIT ORGANISATION”
itself amounts to cheating as Rs.27.65 Lakhs is virtually a
ransom. Even PROFIT making commercial establishments like ours can
develop for Rs.16.00 Lakhs and still make PROFIT.

The allegation of creation of Monopoly is also proved by the G.O.
Dated 27.12.2001 in which virtually all possible Kannada Softwares
are covered leaving NOTHING for other Software Developers thereby
depriving the Software Developers their right to survive and
“physically eliminating” them so that no body will be there to
question the illegal procurement of Kannada Software from the
KGP and the misuse of public fund.

While the crooks in KGP are syphoning out the Govt. Funds as
“Honourarium” to already employed / retired persons, the “Real
Promoters” of Kannada are forced to face the unemployment. This
amounts to “making the Rich Richer, the Poor Poorer”

It is highly deplorable to “monopolize” the Kannada Software
developments by encouraging the “Middle men” as KGP can not
develop any Software themselves .

As these vested interests were not really interested in promoting
Kannada, they had also indulged in playing politics by creating
Regional bias as some of the Developers including me are not
KANNADIGAS. It is in fact a good sign to note that NON-KANNADIGAS
are promoting Kannada and one should feel happy about that.

E-MAIL CAMPAIGN TO IMPLEMENT MAHISHI REPORThttp://www.starofmysore.com/main.asp?type=news&item=7340Mysore , Sept. 17 (KCU)- An e-mail signature campaign from Kannadigas all over the world has been launched by V. M. Kumaraswamy, founder of e-Kavi, a forum of Kannada lovers from all over the world, to urge the Government to implement the Dr. Sarojini Mahishi Report.